Demolition of sinkhole-damaged home starts Sunday | News

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SEFFNER, Florida - Demolition crews will begin to dismantle the home where a sinkhole opened up and swallowed a man who slept in his bed.

"I knew it. I just didn't want to believe it. I wanted them to get him out," said the man's brother, Jeremy Bush. "I'm so sorry they can't get him out of the hole and that's the last place he's going to be."

The demolition, which is set to begin at 8 a.m., means the body of his brother, Jeff, will likely never be recovered from the sinkhole at 240 Faithway Drive in Seffner.

"We have to move beyond rescue to the demolition phase and the securing of the site," said Hillsborough County administrator Mike Merrell.

Engineers are expected to remove a wall from the side of the house so that some valuables, which were abandoned when the family was ordered from the house, can be recovered.

The sinkhole problem continues to grow for the people who live on either side the Bush home. Residents who live in both homes were given 30 minutes to remove as many personal items as they could before the house would permanently be off limits.

"The main objective right now is the Bush home; that's the one that's compromised. As they begin to work with that home, they'll make decisions about the other two homes," said Merrell when asked whether the others homes will also have to be taken down.

Meanwhile, the Bush family will spend the next eight days in a hotel paid for by the Red Cross. But after that, Jeremy Bush said he is not sure where the family will live.

If you would like to donate to the affected families of the sinkhole, go to www.firefighter-relief.com.

To contact the family, please use the email address WickerFamilyHCFR@gmail.com.